2011 Subaru Forester Engine Problems
Owners have filed 60 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2011 Subaru Forester, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 73,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (25% of reports).
- 60engine complaints
- 73,500median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $5,950typical repair cost reported by owners
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 15 of 60 complaints (25%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2011 Subaru Forester at $5,950, and half of them between $3,200 and $6,400.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 46 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 60 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 1 an injury.
Subaru Forester engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2025 Forester | 4 | 4% | 15,000 |
| 2024 Forester | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Forester | 5 | 7% | 200 |
| 2022 Forester | 10 | 10% | 5,000 |
| 2021 Forester | 33 | 16% | 30,000 |
| 2020 Forester | 81 | 13% | 29,300 |
| 2019 Forester | 106 | 13% | 18,253 |
| 2018 Forester | 32 | 6% | 20,000 |
| 2017 Forester | 47 | 8% | 17,650 |
| 2016 Forester | 60 | 14% | 42,000 |
| 2015 Forester | 131 | 21% | 46,340 |
| 2014 Forester | 69 | 17% | 36,643 |
| 2013 Forester | 27 | 35% | 82,000 |
| 2012 Forester | 27 | 26% | 86,000 |
| 2011 Forester | 60 | 41% | 73,500 |
| 2010 Forester | 34 | 13% | 85,000 |
| 2009 Forester | 27 | 15% | 92,000 |
| 2008 Forester | 7 | 14% | 113,000 |
| 2007 Forester | 9 | 12% | 102,500 |
| 2006 Forester | 11 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2005 Forester | 3 | 3% | 153,000 |
| 2004 Forester | 23 | 11% | 110,000 |
| 2003 Forester | 12 | 6% | 133,000 |
| 2002 Forester | 1 | 1% | 160,823 |
| 2001 Forester | 2 | 1% | 127,358 |
| 1999 Forester | 3 | 2% | 125,700 |
| 1998 Forester | 1 | 1% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2011 Subaru Forester. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Concerned over oil being burnt up at a significant rate, have to add a quart per tank of gas. Theres distinct burnt oil smell after driving. Concerned my car needs to be included in the oil consumption recall.
I have a single-owner 2011 automatic-transmission Subaru Forester [145k miles]. In a parking lot, I started the car as usual and shifted into reverse. I immediately noticed another car was approaching behind me and reflexively pushed on the brake to give the oncoming vehicle the right of way. As I…
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment, and the vehicle began to fill with smoke, prompting her to immediately stop and exit the vehicle. Upon exiting the vehicle, the contact…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Subaru Foresters have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 60 owner complaints about engine for the 2011 Subaru Forester (41% of the 147 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Subaru Forester engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 73,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2011 Subaru Forester?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,950 (half paid between $3,200 and $6,400), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2011 Subaru Forester?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 15 of 60 complaints.
See all 2011 Subaru Forester problems or engine problems across all Forester years.